


Thorn-Surrounded Sleep

by nonisland



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 3 Sentence Fiction, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/F, Fractured Fairy Tale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-22
Updated: 2012-07-22
Packaged: 2017-11-10 11:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/465694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonisland/pseuds/nonisland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You know this story: a beautiful princess, a magical slumber, a courageous suitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thorn-Surrounded Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a 3-sentence AU meme; originally posted on Tumblr.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Should you find something, whilst reading one of my stories, that offends you/is incorrect/could offend others/is in any way problematic, please please _please_ do not hesitate to tell me. I will never spew hate at you, I will never attack you, and I will _always_ thank you for taking the time to let me know.

A prince is supposed to ride up to the castle on a white horse and part the thorns to either side of a great path with his sword; the princess is supposed to be peacefully sleeping with a gentle smile on her rosy lips; he is supposed to kiss the sleep from her mouth and she is supposed to rise gracefully from it as from shallow water.

Gwen carves a narrow tunnel through the thorns with pruning shears, because swords aren’t meant for gardening; when she reaches the royal bedchamber she finds Princess Morgana shaking in the jaws of nightmares, face twisted and tear-streaked and body moving restlessly in a futile attempt to escape whatever poisoned enchanted place she’s found herself in.

It’s nothing like the tales, and for just a moment Gwen is lost—and then common sense returns, and she sits down on the side of the bed and smooths Morgana’s hair back from her face and whispers, “It’s all right now, it’s all right, I’m here,” and magic flares golden all around them and Morgana wakes with a gasp.


End file.
